Conquer Yourself
by From Beyond The Stars
Summary: Midna Hytwilian asked for the Link and Dark battle without Yaoi. I delivered. - Deep in the Water Temple, Link is entranced by a beautiful, bewildering room. However, he soon discovers its not so beautiful secret, and almost pays with his life.


_Disclaimer: I do not own Link, Dark, Navi, or anyone else, yadda yadda yadda_

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**Conquer Yourself**

The Battle In The Water Temple

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Link stepped through the door. He barely registered it shutting and locking behind him as his sapphire eyes widened. Water, everywhere, as far as the eye could see. The room had no ends. A rock and a broken pillar were to his left and right, and in the center a lone, bare tree. For a while he simply stood there, not quite believing his eyes. In his adventures he'd seen things beyond his wildest dreams but never anything like this. It was truly beautiful and breathtaking.

He took a few steps forward, blinking as he swore the air shimmered around him. As more of the room revealed itself, he looked back and saw the locked door he came from stood alone, with nothing apparently behind it. Across the room lay an identical door. Instincts told him rooms were never empty. Bewilderment and bedazzlement drew him forwards like a Keese to a flame.

As he approached the island, his reflection disappeared from under him. Link appeared not to notice this. The room continued to shimmer and flicker around him in an unnatural way. The soil on the island felt strange, the tree looked oddly false. But Link, his childlike mind too engrossed in the beauty and oddness of the room, did not pay attention.

His eyes drifted to the tree, and there saw himself. A pale, almost watery humanoid figure stood infront of the tree, perfectly poised like a translucent statue, or a reflection in a mirror. Link looked behind him on impulse and saw no reflection in the water at last. Looking back to the figure in horror, Navi drifted over to it. Her soft yellow light told him this was not as innocent as it had first appeared. His instincts mocked him. Rooms were never, ever empty.

Link backed away and moved to the side. The figure turned with him, as if it were attatched to him like a puppet on a string. Its glassy, emotionless eyes stared unblinkingly forward. Deeply unnervered, Link shifted to the other side of the room. Again, the figure turned to face him. Navi continued to float around the figure, her yellow light visible through its transparent body.

Shaking, Link drew out his sword. At once the figure copied him. He moved slowly forward. His reflection merely smiled, awaiting Link's arrival upon his silvery island. The figure sprang over at once. Link jumped backwards and ran, his reflection following him. It jumped at him, making a low grunt, reminiscent of Link's own voice. Link looked at Navi desperatley.  
"It's Dark Link. You must conquer yourself, my hero." she said quietly, still glowing yellow as she hovered over the dark being's head.

Link slashed at him. Dark almost laughed in that deep voice of his, effortlessly backflipping out of the way. Link, agape, rapidly shuffled backwards. This was the shadow's territory; he could manipulate it as he wished, moving around the room with backflips and fluidity a Sheikah would be proud of. In a way, it was kind of elegant and graceful. Was this truly a copy of Link's own fighting style?

The Hero face his darkness head on. He brought down his sword and the shadow smacked his sword away with impeccable timing, impossible by anything mortal. Link dived to the side and stabbed the shadow square in the gut. Dark Link hissed and recoiled, seeming to fall through the floor. Link panted breathlessly, turning to head for the other door, only to realize the shadow had rematerialized behind him. Link went pale, and his legs refused to move as suddenly Dark lunged, slicing Link's shoulder open. The Hero screamed in agony, slumping into the unreal water.

"Link!" Navi jingled, flittering over to her hero, but unable to help him in any way. Link lied in the shallow water, tears running down his face, mingling with the blood clouding around his shoulder. The red liquid flowed freely from the deep wound. Link looked up to see Dark standing over him. No longer translucent, his pitch black form shone silver where the light hit it, eyes as red as the blood clouds in the water, staring blankly at his light side.

This was it. This was where his journey was going to end. He'd failed Hyrule. He'd failed Ruto. He failed Saria and the Deku Tree, he'd failed Navi and he'd failed Zelda. Link feebly rose his arm to try and block Dark's sword strike, despite knowing it was futile. His ceylon blue eyes looked sadly at Dark. The shadow's sword stopped. Dark cocked his head, looking at Link curiously. Then he coolly drew his sword away and stabbed his sword into Link's thigh.

No sound came out of Link's mouth. Just a long, silent scream of pain as the colour drained from his face. He violently spasmed in pain, vision going hazy. He heard a dim rustling and saw Dark ripping the wings off his red healing fairies, throwing the carcasses into the water. Navi cried pitifully, flittering at Dark in anguish. Link grabbed his sword from the water, and despite the agony, leaned up and struck his sword straight through Dark's neck.

Dark choked, his dark copy of the Hylian Shield and Master Sword dropping to the floor and disintergrating. His hands flew to the sword in his neck and he stumbled backwards, thick silver blood spewing from his gaping mouth, locked and twisted in agony. With a final cry, he gurgled, silver blood dripping down his face and slumped to the floor. He slowly faded away and Link pulled his sword back, watching as the beautiful illusion faded away and a plain blue room emerged. Sobbing quietly, he began the long, painful process of dragging himself to the other door.

Navi flittered down to a glow in the water and pulled out a wounded red fairy, lifting her brethen and steadily flying her over to her fallen hero. His adventure would not end today.

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_**Author's Notes**_

So, forever ago, Midna Hytwilian asked if I could write the Link and Dark battle without it being yaoi. Since I just reached this point in the water temple, I decided to take on her challenge. This was the result. Enjoy =D  
Stars xxx


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